Community outraged after Withrow High School vandalized with swastikas, racial slurs

Community outraged after Withrow High School vandalized with swastikas, racial slurs

The vandalism has been removed but parents and lawmakers are demanding a full investigation

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Updated: 11:40 PM EST Jan 22, 2017

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WEBVTT SCHOOL.>> TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS, IT'SCOWARDLY, AND IT WON'T BETOLERATED. DAN: THESE SYMBOLS OF HATE HAVEALANDES POWELL AND THE WITHROWHIGH SCHOOL FAMILY ANGRY.>> I THINK WITH THIS YEAR'SELECTION, IT ACTUALLY OPENED ACAN OF WORMS THAT WAS OUT THERE,THAT IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TOFEEL RACIST AND BIGOTRY AND TOSAY IT, AND NOW PEOPLE ALMOSTMADE IT LIKE IT'S OK. DAN: THE WORD "TRUMP," RACIALSLURS, SWASTIKAS, AND WORDSTARGETING HOMOSEXUALS WERE SOMEOF WHAT PEOPLE FOUND ON THEBUILDING, SIDEWALKS, AND SIGNAGETODAY.>> THIS SCHOOL STARTS AT THE 7THGRADE.HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS TOCHILDREN, WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHATTHAT REALLY MEANS?DAN: SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THEPERSON BEHIND IT ALSOSPRAY-PAINTED SURVEILLANCECAMERAS.THE SUSPECT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO,WEARING A FACE MASK.>> WE WILL NOT BE DETERRED FROMTHE ACTION OF LEARNING.WE WANT OUR STUDENTS IN PLACETOMORROW, JUST AS ALWAYS. DAN: MAYOR JOHN CRANLEY CALLSTHE VANDALISM AN OUTRAGEOUSATTACK.>> IT'S AN ACT OF EVIL, HATRED,AND WE WILL TRY TO FIND WHO DIDTHIS. DAN: STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALICIAREECE, A WITHROW GRADUATEHERSELF, WANTS A THOROUGHINVESTIGATION.>> COME IN AND SEE THESE SYMBOLSOF HATE, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.YOU ALMOST HAVE TO PINCHYOURSELF TO SAY IS THIS 2017?DAN: THE SYMBOLS HAVE BEENWASHED AWAY, BUT THESE PEOPLEWON'T FORGET THEM.>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET SOMECOWARD, WHO PUT SIGNS UP THATTHEY PROBABLY CAN'T EVEN SPELLWHAT THAT IS -- WE'RE NOT GOINGTO LET THAT INTIMIDATE US OR OURCHILDREN. DAN: STATE REPRESENTATIVE ALICIAIS CALLING ON THE ATTORNEY OVERTHE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK ATTHIS AFTER THIS VANDALISM ANDOTHER VANDALISM AT HEBREW UNIONCOLLEGE.SCHOOL LEADERS SAY THERE HAVEBEEN NO THREATS RECEIVED AGAINSTSTUDENTS OR STAFF.

Community outraged after Withrow High School vandalized with swastikas, racial slurs

The vandalism has been removed but parents and lawmakers are demanding a full investigation

Those spray-painted messages of hate may be washed away but parents, students and investigators are determined to find the people who defaced the school.

"To do things like this, it's cowardly, and it won't be tolerated," Alandes Powell said.

The symbols of hate have parents like Powell and the Withrow High School family angry.

"I think with this year's election, it actually opened a can of worms that was out there -- that it was an embarrassment to feel racist and bigotry and to say it and now people almost made it like it's OK," Powell said.

The word "Trump" was surrounded by racial slurs, swastikas and slurs targeting homosexuals on the building, sidewalks and signage Sunday.

"This school starts at the seventh grade. How do you explain this to children who have no idea what that really means?" Chanda Monroe-Williams asked.

School officials said the person behind it also spray-painted surveillance cameras. The suspect was caught on video wearing a face mask. Police are taking a closer look at that video.

"We will not be deterred from the action of learning, we want our students in place tomorrow just as always," School Board President Ericka Dansby said.

Dansby said robocalls, texts and emails were sent to parents to alert them of the situation and to make sure parents felt students would be safe.

In a statement, Cincinnati Public Schools also said, "This unfortunate event is further evidence of our need to heal and grow as a community. If this awful act encourages anything, we hope that it sparks continued dialogue among families about our need to come together as one country. Our diversity is an asset and should be celebrated."

Mayor John Cranley called the vandalism an outrageous attack.

"It's an act of evil, hatred and we will try to find who did this," he said.

He said police are working to find the culprit or culprits responsible.

"I am outraged by this act of hate at Withrow High School. I am saddened that the grounds where students walk each and everyday has been used as a platform for racism, anti-Semitism and bigotry," he said.

Other community leaders voiced their disgust at the vandalism Sunday.

State Sen. Cecil Thomas said, "As a 1971 graduate of Withrow High School, I am appalled that someone would go to such great length to spray bigotry and hatred on this great institution."

"Come in and see these symbols of hate ... it's unbelievable. You almost have to pinch yourself to say is this 2017?" Reece said.

She also said the hateful messaging is a teachable moment outside of the books."It's not always the past. It can be the present if good people don't stand up against it," she said.

The symbols have been washed away but these people won't forget them.

Reece said after this vandalism and other vandalism at Hebrew Union College, she thinks there's a pattern developing and the Ohio Attorney General's Office should investigate.

School leaders said there have been no threats received against students or staff.

"We're not going to let some coward who put signs up that they probably can't even spell what that is we're not going to let that intimidate us or our children," Powell said.Parents told WLWT they will be at the school Monday morning to make sure their children feel safe and to reinforce a sense of safety.

They also said this is an opportunity for the community to unite.

"If you're going to come to the school that our children are in, you need to make sure that you're aware they come with an army of parents and an army of community leaders that will be here to meet you," Monroe-Williams said.

Monroe-Williams said they would not meet those people with aggression but intelligence.

The school said counselors will be available to talk with students about the hateful messages.